Driving mechanism.



Patented Jan. 23, I900.

8. N. RAPP.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

(Application filed Jan. 16,, 1899.)

WITNESSES;

,No. 64I,797.

Patented Jan. 23,1900. 8* N. BA-PP.

DRIVING- MECHANISM. lk pplication filed Jan. 16,1899.)

2 Sheets-Shaet 2.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES.

TH: Ncmms PETERS co. PHDTOVLIYP'IOV WASHINGTON. D, c.

Y NITE' STATES PATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL N. RAPP, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE IVES-RAPPMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

DRlVlNG MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent nae imev, dated January 23,19cc.

Application filed January 16,1899. serial No. 702,223. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL N. RAPP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Mechanical Movements and DrivingMech anism; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. r

This invention has for its objecta novel mechanical movement and driving-mechanism.

My present invention includes certain features embodied in anapplicationfiled by me in the United States Patent Offioe September 13, 1897,Serial No. 651,489, while it also embraces certain modifications thereofand additions thereto.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing parts of abicycle embody-. ing the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view showingvarious parts of a bicycle. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective illustratingfeatures of the invention. Fig. 4 is a View in section on the line 4 4,Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view in section on the line 5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is aview in section on the line 6 6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a view in :section onthe line 7 7, Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a view in section showing the pinionengaged directly upon a shaft or axle.

My invention is of special utility for various purposes and is herewithillustrated and described as applied to the propulsion of bicycles andalso for driving a shaft or axle.

As applied to bicycles the invention contemplates, as in the applicationabove referred to, a novel gear to take the place of the customarysprocket mechanism for the propulsion of the wheels.

In the drawings, A represents portions of a bicycleframe.

A is the axle of the rear wheel, the same being stationary.

A is a rock-shaft.

A is one of the pedal-cranks, provided with a crank-arm A rotatablyengaged upon the rock-shaft. A is the other pedal-crank, rigidly engagedupon the rock-shaft.

A? is the hub of the rear wheel.

A is the rock-shaft hanger.

A denotes the rear wheel.

I Upon the hub A? is engaged a pinion or gear, (indicated at B.) Thepinion B is provided with a hub b, which may have a threaded engagementwith the hub A.

C is a case constructed with alongitudinal channel C and with verticalchannels, (indicated at C? C Two vertical channels are shown on oppositesides of the pinion, although one might be employed instead, the sameprojecting upward and downward above and below the channel C andintermediate the ends of the channel C, the latter channel extendingforward and rearward of said vertical channels. The case C is engagedastride the rear axle and arranged to be reciprocated over the axle,said axle projecting through thechannel C.

D is an elongated gear toothed on its outer edge, meshing with thepinion -B, said elongated gear being formed with an elongated channel,(indicated at D.) The gear D is provided with one or more tongues Dcorresponding to the number of vertical channels C and projecting intosaid vertical channels, said tongues being made reciprocatory in saidvertical channels.

E is acrankloosely engaged at one end upon the hub b of the pinion B, asshown in Fig. 4,

, the opposite end of said crank being provided with a roller or pin 6,projectinginto the elongated channel D of the elongated gear D. Theobject of the crank and its engagement with the gear D is to hold saidgear in mesh with the pinion B, said pin or roller riding back. andforth in the elongated slot D. When the case C is reciprocated, it willbe obvious that the elongated gear D will be carried thereby in meshwith the pinion B, causing said pinion to rotate. The rearward movementof the case will cause the elon- .95 gated gear to be carried rearwarduntil the mesh with the pinion B. The forward movement of the case willcause the elongated gear to be carried rearward until the rear endthereof is in mesh with the pinion D, when the elongated gear will moveupward in the channels 0 In this manner the elongated gear will rideabout the pinion B and about the axle. The pinion B and gear D are shownengaged in place on the inside of adjacent portions of the frame A. Whenthe elongated gear is in front of the pinion, the

-tongues D will rise upward in the vertical slots C and when theelongated gear is at the rear of the pinion said tongues will, ridedownward in said vertical channels, the crank E holding the gear andpinion in constant mesh the one with the other. The mechanical movementhereinbefore described in connection with said case and in mesh withsaid pinion may be readily attached to any ordinary bicycle, althoughthe invention is not limited to the application of said mechanicalmovement simply in connection with a bicycle hub or axle, as the samemechanism may be appled directly to any axle with equal facility. henthe pinion B is secured to a hub, as in a bicycle, it is obvious that ahub which forms a part of the bicycle-wheel rotates, while the axle isnon-rotatable. As shown in Fig. 8, the pinion is engaged directly withthe axle or shaft to rotate the shaft. When the pinion is applieddirectly to an axle, it is obvious that the axle will be rotated by thepinion, and also that the crank E will be engaged upon the axle, asindicated in Fig. 8. As regards these particular features for drivingsaid pinion, it should also be understood that the invention is notlimited to any specific means for reciprocating the case carrying theelongated gear, as said case may be reciprocated in various ways withinthe scope of the present invention. The elongated gear D is in thenature of a planet-gear, and while it is preferred to have it elongated,as described hereinbefore, it is not essential in all cases that itshould be of this particular form.

As shown herewith, the case 0 is driven by means of the pedal-cranksengaged upon the rock-shaft A said rock-shaft being provided with anadditional crank-arm A The crankarms A and A are connected to said caseby connecting-rods F and G. A connecting-rod F is rigidly connected withthe case at its rear end, while the connecting-rod G has a jointedconnection with the case, as indicated at g. The crank-arms A and A areengaged upon the rockshaft in such a position as to bring thepedal-leverA and its arm A at an angle to the arm A, as shown.

It will be obvious that when pressure is applied to the pedal-lever Athe crank-arm A will be forced rearward, thereby forcing the caserearward proportionately, the rearward movement of the case pulling downthe crankarm A, and consequently raising the pedalthe pedal-lever A isdepressed,and vice versa. It will be seen that when the pedal-lever A isforced downward the case 0 will also be moved forward, thereby forcingthe crankarm A forward and lifting the pedal-lever A". Thus thepedal-levers A and A may alternately oscillate in the operation of thedriving mechanism, thereby actuating the mechanism which drives the rearwheel. It will be seen that only a rocking mo vcment is given to theshaft A As above stated, instead of driving the case 0 by the means,above explained, it may be driven in any other desired manner. When thedevice is applied directly to an axle, as illustrated in Fig.8, the case0 might be driven by a piston-rod, in which event the usual connecting-rod might be fastened therewith. I prefer to locate upon theaxle an antifrictionroller R,the case 0 being preferably constructedwith grooves, (indicated at R,) in which the antifriction-roller rides.I also prefer to construct the hub A. with a flange A within which thecrank E is housed, as shown in Fig. 4, the crank being engaged upon thehub of the pinion B, the hub of the pinion being engaged with the hubA". This materially simplifies the construction, brings the parts closertogether, and tends to exclude dust from the crank. I prefer also toprovide the case C with a flange 0 within which the pinion l3 andplanet-gear D are housed.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination of a pinion,mechanism to be turned by said pinion provided with a shaft or axle, aplanet-gear to drive the pinion meshing on its periphery with saidpinion, a reciprocatory case provided withalongitudinal channel throughwhich the shaft or axle projects, and with channels projecting upwardlyand downwardly from said channel, and means to reciprocate said case,the planet-gear made vertically reciprocatory in said vertical channelsof the case, whereby the outer periphery of the planet-gear will becarried around and about said pinion, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a pinion, mechanism to be turned by said pinionprovided with a shaft or axle, a planet-gear meshing on its outerperiphery with the pinion, and a reciprocatory case mounted astride theaxle, and means to reciprocate said case, said planetgear having avertically-reciprocatory engagement with said case, whereby the outerperiphery of the planet-gear will be carried around and about thepinion, substantially as set forth.

The combination of an axle and its hub, a pinion mounted upon said hub,a channeled planet-gear to drive the pinion meshing on its peripherywith said pinion, a crank-arm mounted upon the hub and working in thechannel of the planet-gear, a channeled reciprocatory case astride theaxle provided with vertical channels and arranged to carry lever A thepedal-leverli being raised when the periphery of the planet-gear aboutthe pinion, the planet-gear made vertically movable in said case, andsaid crank-arm housed within the hub and between the gear and pinion onthe one side thereof and the hub on the other side thereof,substantially as set forth. I,

4. In combination, a pinion, mechanism to be turned by said pinion, achanneled planetgear to drive the pinion having its periphery in meshwith said pinion, a crank-arm upon said mechanism working in the channelof the planet-gear, and a vertically-channeled case reciprocatory in onedirection only to carry the planet-gear around about the periphery ofthe pinion, and means to reciprocate the case, said planet-gear having avertical movement in the channels of the case on opposite sides of thepinion, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of an axle and its hub, a gear toothed upon itsperiphery mounted upon said hub, a channeled planet gear meshing on itsperiphery with the gear upon the hub, a crank-arm mounted upon the huband working in the channel of the planetgear, a horizontally-channeledcase astride the axle provided with upwardly and down wardly projectingchannels and arranged to carry the periphery of the channeled. gearabout the gear upon the hub and around about the axle, the planet-gearmade vertically 1'e-. ciprocatoryin said upwardly and downwardlyprojecting channels, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination with an axle and its hub, of a gear mounted upon saidhub, a planet-gear toothed upon its periphery in mesh with the gear uponthe hub, and a hori zontally-channeled reciprocatory case astride theaxle and arranged to carry the periphery of the planet-gear about theperiphery of the gear upon the hub, and around about the axle, saidplanet-gear provided with a tongue having' a vertically reciprocatoryengagement with the case, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

SAMUEL N. RAPP. Witnesses:

N. S. WRIGHT, CHAS. Si MCDONALD.

